Downhole testing is traditionally performed in a “blind fashion”: downhole tools and sensors are deployed in a well at the end of a tubing string for several days or weeks after which they are retrieved at surface. During the downhole testing operations, the sensors may record measurements that will be used for interpretation once retrieved at surface. It is only after the downhole testing tubing string is retrieved that the operators will know whether the data is sufficient and not corrupted. Similarly when operating some of the downhole testing tools from surface, such as tester valves, circulating valves, packers, samplers or perforating charges, the operators do not obtain a direct feedback from the downhole tools.
In this type of downhole testing operations, the operator can greatly benefit from having a two-way communication between surface and downhole. However, it can be difficult to provide such communication using a cable since inside the tubing string it limits the flow diameter and requires complex structures to pass the cable from the inside to the outside of the tubing. Space outside the tubing is limited and cable can easily be damaged. Therefore a wireless telemetry system is preferred.
There are three major methods of wireless data transfer from downhole to surface (or vice versa): mud pulse, electromagnetic and acoustic telemetry.
A number of proposals have been made for wireless telemetry systems based on acoustic and/or electromagnetic communications. Examples of various aspects of such systems can be found in: U.S. Pat. No. 5,050,132; U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,067; U.S. Pat. No. 5,124,953; U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,901; U.S. Pat. No. 5,128,902; U.S. Pat. No. 5,148,408; U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,049; U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,606; U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,937; U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,505; U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,448; U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,325; U.S. Pat. No. 5,703,836; U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,035; U.S. Pat. No. 5,850,369; U.S. Pat. No. 5,923,937; U.S. Pat. No. 5,941,307; U.S. Pat. No. 5,995,449; U.S. Pat. No. 6,137,747; U.S. Pat. No. 6,147,932; U.S. Pat. No. 6,188,647; U.S. Pat. No. 6,192,988; U.S. Pat. No. 6,272,916; U.S. Pat. No. 6,320,820; U.S. Pat. No. 6,321,838; U.S. Pat. No. 6,847,585; U.S. Pat. No. 6,912,177; EP0636763; EP0773345; EP1076245; EP1193368; EP1320659; WO96/024751; WO92/06275; WO05/05724; WO02/27139; WO01/39412; WO00/77345; WO07/095111.
In EP0550521, an acoustic telemetry system is used to pass data across an obstruction in the tubing, such as a valve. The data is then stored for retrieval by a wireline tool passed inside the tubing from the surface. It is also proposed to retransmit the signal as an acoustic signal. EP1882811 discloses an acoustic transducer structure that can be used as a repeater along the tubing.
It is an aim of the present invention to provide an acoustic communication method and a system that overcomes the limitations of existing devices to allow a bi-directional communication of data between a downhole location and a surface location.